


bruised silence

by ragingdrumboner



Series: prompts [23]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Bruises, Bullying, Crying, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-04 23:51:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11001591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ragingdrumboner/pseuds/ragingdrumboner
Summary: koushi would rather die than admit someone was hurting him.





	bruised silence

**Author's Note:**

> >   
> **littlemissgoodday said:** Thanks Julie! Ok so I've had this idea stuck in my head for a while now  & you do not have to write it, if you don't want to! But I was wondering what it'd look like if the team (esp. Daichi & Asahi, since they've known Suga the longest) defended Suga when they find out that someone/some people are treating him harshly, or with contempt/disdain. Or if they're making fun of him, or being bullies in general...Suga's always taking care of his team, protecting them. I'd like to see them do the same.

Sometime the changes in a person can be so subtle and so slow, that even those closest to them will never know. So that’s why when Sugawara Koushi started to flinch more, look down at the ground as he walked, talk softer, no one noticed because it happened _so slowly_ that it just couldn’t be noticed. Well, at least for awhile, no one noticed, until one day it all came crashing down.

To all of Karasuno, Koushi was the support, the bright smiles and cheer that kept the team going. Hell, he had even been deemed the ‘mom friend’ of the group, a title he certainly didn’t mind. Though, only few knew of Koushi’s struggles that he kept hidden from the eyes of the team. Those few were Daichi, Asahi and Tsukishima, and Tsukishima only knew because he had caught the vice captain after a practice one day in the throes of a panic attack. Upon seeing Tsukishima, Koushi made him promise to keep what he had seen silent, and keep silent he did. 

Koushi kept very few things from Asahi, and even fewer things from Daichi, but there was still one thing he kept from the both of them, and it was quite possibly the biggest thing to keep from someone. 

He was being bullied.

It sounded stupid, and Koushi couldn’t be more painfully aware of that. What third year gets bullied? Wasn’t that supposed to be something that happened to the main character of some junior high movie? Still, it was happening nonetheless and Koushi couldn’t bear to tell anyone about it. It was embarrassing and shameful, too shameful to tell even his parents. So Koushi suffered silently, hid bruises and hurtful words expertly and just prayed to God that no one would notice.

But of course, that prayer was only answered for a short while before Daichi started to notice a change in Koushi’s habits.

The first thing he noticed was the flinching, and that was on a walk home one day after practice. He had been talking about something one of the first years had done and raised his hand quickly in exasperation, but in doing so, he invoked a violent flinch from the ashen haired setter. Daichi blinked and looked to his companion.

“Woah, hey, are you okay? Why’d you flinch like that?” He asked, frowning a bit now.

“Oh,” Koushi felt a blush of embarrassment tint his cheeks, “you just moved really fast is all and I wasn’t expecting it,” he explained.

Daichi hummed, still frowning, “you haven’t always flinched like that, have you?” He tried to recall if the other third year had always been so skittish, but struggled to do so.

Koushi tensed and answered quickly, almost too quickly. “Yep! I’ve always been easily startled, Dai, come on, you know that,” he tried to pass off, smiling a painfully fake smile. Daichi shifted, not looking quite sure of himself.

“I guess…” he trailed off.

Koushi knocked a playful fist against Daichi’s shoulders, “stop worrying so much, now, what were you saying about Kageyama and Hinata?”

“Oh yeah! So anyways…” Daichi began again. Koushi sighed and relaxed, glad to have deterred Daichi, for now at least.

The next person to notice something was up was Asahi, though he didn’t say anything, to Koushi at least. 

They had been walking to the gym after school, Koushi’s eyes trained on the ground as he chatted with Asahi about nothing in particular. As he walked, Koushi failed to notice the pillar that held up the overhang they walked underneath, leading him to barrel straight into the pole. Asahi jumped and Koushi reeled back, holding his head.

“Suga! Are you okay?” Asahi asked, taking a step towards the setter.

“Yeah, I’m fine, just didn’t see the pole there I guess…” he trailed off, eyes flicking down again. Asahi frowned, now noticing how Koushi was staring at the ground. Had he always done that? Asahi didn’t get the chance to ask before Daichi was calling for them from the gym and Koushi was gone in an instant.

The final person to notice before Koushi was approached was unfortunately, Hinata. 

Koushi found himself to be the last one in the club room which had became quite the norm now as he preferred to get changed on his own so no one would see the deep purple and black bruises that littered his pale skin. However, it was on this day that Hinata realized he had forgotten his shoes (his shoes? How do you forget your shoes?) and needed to come back to grab them. He walked in on a shirtless Koushi and it only took a moment for his jaw to drop open.

“Suga-san! Why are you all bruised up?” He asked, scuttling over to the third year.

Koushi froze up and rubbed at his bruise marred arm, “um, I tripped on the stairs on my front porch this morning,” he tried to lie, but Hinata, as dense as he could be sometimes, was able to see right through it.

“Those don’t look like stair bruises…” he trailed off, frowning.

The setter shifted uncomfortably and sighed, “they’re nothing Hinata, just, don’t tell Daichi, okay?”

“But Suga-san, if someone is hurting you then --”

“Hinata, please,” he begged, “it’s really nothing, please promise me you won’t tell Daichi.” Koushi begged. Hinata shifted and looked unsure, clearly battling his own moralities within himself.

“Okay Suga-san...I won’t…” He finally promised, still looking a little distraught about the situation.

“Thank you,” he turned and grabbed Hinata’s shoes, “here, now go on and get to practice, I’ll be along shortly.”

Hinata took the shoes and nodded before slipping them on and running off to join his teammates down in the gym. Koushi sighed and pushed a hand through his hair, watching the middle blocker go. That was close. Far too close. He knew it wouldn’t be long before the truth somehow came out.

Turns out ‘it wouldn’t be long’ was after practice that day. Shortly after everyone had changed, Koushi found himself being confronted by Daichi.

“Koushi, something’s up with you, what is it?” Daichi asked as Koushi was picking up the messy clubroom.

“What makes you say that?” Koushi asked, glancing back at the captain before tucking away one of the storage boxes.

Daichi crossed his arms and sighed, “well, for one, you’re flinching like a lot and I know you said that you’ve always done that but Koushi, I’m pretty sure that’s not true.”

“Dai, I told you --”

Daichi held up a hand, “I’m not finished.” He paused, “Asahi told me how you ran into a pole cause you were too busy staring into the ground too,” he frowned, “you’ve just seemed, different, overall lately.”

Koushi sighed and stood up, “Daichi, I’m fine, I’ve just been stressed over school is all.”

“Yeah, see, last time you said that, I came in on you having a mental breakdown, _by yourself in a dark clubroom.”_

Koushi bristled and sighed louder this time, “Daichi, it’s nothing, really, just, leave me alone, okay?” He almost growled, starting to walk by. Daichi frowned, not really used to Koushi getting so defensive. As Koushi walked by, Daichi whirled and grabbed a hold of his wrist, stopping the setter in his tracks. “Let go of me!” Koushi almost yelled, trying to tug away.

“If it’s really nothing, then explain these,” he grit out, grabbing Koushi’s sleeve and tugging it up to reveal his bruise littered arm. Koushi froze and stared down at the ground, unable to look Daichi in the eyes. 

“Hinata told you…”

“It slipped out, but I had a suspicion anyways.” Daichi paused and softened his grip on Koushi’s wrist, ducking down to look at Koushi in the eyes. “Koushi, what’s wrong? How did you get these? What’s going on?”

Koushi felt panic seep into his veins and shake his fingers, the rest of his body following suit. Daichi saw the trembles start to wrack Koushi’s body and immediately pulled the setter to him, settling him into his arms. Tears immediately began to drip from his eyes and a few choking sobs escaped from his lungs. He buried his head into Daichi’s chest, just letting Daichi run his hand over his hair.

“I-it’s so stupid…” he muttered, curling his fingers into Daichi’s shirt.

“Koushi, tell me, I need to know, if someone’s hurting you then…”

Koushi hiccuped and nodded, “y-yeah...there is someone…” he trailed off, unable to say more.

Daichi tensed and curled his fingers tightly into Koushi’s shirt, angered that someone would even dare lay a harmful hand on Koushi. “Who is it?”

“Daichi, no, you can’t….” 

“Koushi, tell me.”

“You’re going to just make it worse!” Koushi practically wailed. Daichi let out a sigh, trying to calm down the rage that flowed through him.

“I won’t hurt them, but I am going to fix this somehow, now, tell me who it is,” he ordered, though his voice was softer now.

Koushi sniffled and rested his cheek against Daichi’s shirt, tears still flowing but his sobs having stopped. “Akiyama...Jurou,” he finally answered, closing his eyes with another sniffle. Daichi made a sound that could only be compared to a growl. Koushi whimpered softly at Daichi’s obvious anger and ducked his head down. Daichi glanced down at the setter and sighed, trying to quell his anger for now as to not upset the teen further.

“Sorry, sorry, but Koushi,” he sighed, “this can’t go on, you need to do something.”

“What can I do? Him and his friends corner me every day before lunch, I can’t fight off three people by myself,” he said softly, looking down again. “And it’s not like the teachers are going to do anything, besides, I don’t want to make this a big deal…”

Daichi hummed and shifted, still holding onto Koushi tightly. “Well, then we have to find a way for them to stop messing with you,” he murmured, half to himself, half to Koushi.

“How?” Koushi asked, tilting his head up to Daichi.

A little wicked smirk came to Daichi’s lips, “you know, something tells me that those three wouldn’t like having to face the entire volleyball team to get to you.”

Koushi whined, “Daichi, no…”

\--

The following day, Koushi was walking to lunch just as he always did, and just as it had been happening the last few weeks, he found himself cornered by Akiyama and his friends. This time, Koushi didn’t feel as if he was about to shake apart at the seams from the mere fear the three imposed.

“You know, for someone who’s in college prep, you think you would have learned to not be walking alone like this,” Akiyama mused, a dastardly smirk coming to his rather displeasing face. 

“Who said he was alone?” Koushi heard the familiar voice of Daichi say. The four teens looked and saw Daichi and Asahi round the corner, though they weren't alone; behind them was Tanaka, Tsukishima and Nishinoya. While Koushi was glad that Daichi didn’t bring the _whole_ team, he was glad it was more than just him and Asahi. As Daichi approached, Koushi could see a snarl come onto the bully’s face.

“So, is there a problem here?” He asked, crossing his arms. Asahi stood behind him, glowering down at the trio before them.

“Nah, there's no problem here, right, Kou-chan?” Akiyama smirked, his voice nothing but condescending as he looked at Koushi. Koushi bristled, clearly not wanting to be called that, but only ducked his head and looked away. 

Daichi quirked a brow, “hm, well, from what I hear, there seems to be quite the problem,” he glanced to Koushi, “particularly with our friend here.”

Akiyama scoffed, “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Hmm, I think you do,” he stepped up, getting closer and making himself look more intimidating, “look, I know what you've been doing to Suga, and if you know what's good for you, you'll stop,” he threatened.

“Oh yeah? And who's gonna stop me?”

“How about the entire volleyball team?” Asahi said this time, crossing his arms as if to make himself look bigger. Akiyama’s friends flinched on this and even the leader of the trio looked unsure. He looked as if he was about to say something more, but was cut off by Daichi.

“Look, why don't you and your friends get out of here and leave Suga, alone, huh? Before you really regret it,” Daichi told them, looking between each boy.

Akiyama shifted and huffed, “come on, let's get out of here, this shit ain't worth it,” he stepped away from Daichi and motioned to his friends.

As they left, Daichi turned to glare at them, “don't let us catch you around here again, you hear me?”

“Yeah, yeah,” the other teen waved off before slinking away.

Once they had left, everyone fully relaxed and Koushi came out from the corner he had been backed into, a soft smile coming onto his face as he approached his teammates.

“Thank you guys so much and,” he paused, “I’m so sorry you all had to get involved with this nonsense…”

“Aw we don't mind Suga-san!” Nishinoya piped up, “we’d do anything to help you out!”

“Yeah! I’d fight the whole school for you or anyone on the team!” Tanaka declared, chest puffing out proudly. 

Daichi smiled softly, “well, I don't think we need to go that far, but I'm glad to know that we’re here for each other, now come on, let's go get something to eat.” 

Tanaka and Nishinoya cheered and ran off to get some food, Asahi followed quickly after Noya, calling after him to slow down. Tsukishima and Kageyama walked at an easier pace, both silent as they walked. Koushi turned to Daichi and smiled gratefully. 

“Thank you so much again, Dai,” he looked forwards to Tsukishima and Kageyama who were making their ways down the hall, “kinda surprised they came,” he chuckled.

“Well they wanted to help too, besides, we needed the height,” he half-laughed, rubbing the back of his head. 

“I see,” Koushi giggled softly.

Daichi smiled at Koushi and dropped his hand down to curl it into Koushi. “I’m glad we were able to help you Koushi and that those guys will leave you alone now,” he sighed softly but contently.

“Yeah, me too,” he murmured, resting his head against Daichi’s shoulder.

Daichi pressed a kiss into Koushi’s soft ashen haired before taking a step forwards, “come on, let’s go get some lunch, eh?”

Koushi nodded, “yes please,” he hummed, walking alongside Daichi, all the anxiety and fear he had been feeling these last few weeks immediately washed away.


End file.
